June 9, 2016 – An Oak Park resident with experience in civil rights litigation and a wide range of property and municipal code actions has been selected as the new Assistant Village Attorney, Village Manager Cara Pavlicek announced today.
Rasheda D. Jackson will assume her new duties at Village Hall on Mon., June 13.
“Having someone with Rasheda’s experience on staff will enhance the services the Law Department provides to the Village Manager and administrative staff, as well as to the Village Board,” said Village Attorney Paul L. Stephanides. “A second staff attorney is essential to the timely completion of important Village business that must occur within the strict parameters defined by local, state and federal law.”
Prior to joining the Village Law Department, Jackson was an associate with Shiller Preyar, a Chicago law firm with services that include many associated with local government administration, including land use, zoning, real estate and violation defense.
Jackson’s experience at Shiller Preyar included civil rights litigation, business licensing matters and representing property owners in land-use cases such as obtaining special use permits and zoning variances, and defending against building code violations.
“I am very excited about my new role with the Village of Oak Park, which also is my family’s home,” Jackson said. “I am looking forward to this opportunity to expand my knowledge and experience with matters that directly affect not only residents, but also the business owners, organizations and activists who are essential to the vitality of our community.”
Jackson’s experience also includes representing low-income tenants in eviction court, one of her roles while a staff attorney with the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing. As a staff attorney with the community based housing advocacy organization, she also helped grow the pool of volunteer attorneys who provide free legal counsel to those in need.
A graduate of Louisiana’s Grambling State University, Jackson earned her juris doctorate degree from Louisiana State University Law Center in Baton Rouge. She began her professional legal career as a judicial law clerk in the 19th Judicial District Court in the parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Under the direction of the Village Manager, the Village Attorney and Law Department staff serve as in house-counsel to administrative staff and the Village Board, and directs the services provided by outside counsel. Law Department staff also prepares and reviews all legal documents and ordinances, enforces the municipal code and defends the Village from lawsuits.
![photo of new Assistant Village Attorney Rasheda D. Jackson](/sites/default/files/news/photos/rasheda_jackson_photo.jpg)
Rasheda D. Jackson